First there was a chivalrous Mountie. Then came a new generation of awkward teens, a windblown mosque and a gaggle of randy puck bunnies. Capitalizing on our national stereotypes—through the likes of a mild-mannered gas station owner and a trashy trio of Trailer Park Boys (all of whom are appearing live and uncensored at Massey Hall)—has brought Canada’s television industry to the attention of those hard-to-get Americans. They like us. They really like us!

September 1994
Red serge love-in Due South lives up to its moniker by becoming the first homegrown show to air in prime time in Canada and the States concurrently. Simulcasting becomes the new benchmark for Canadian TV.

January 2004
Degrassi: The Next Generation’s daring take on teen abortion—i.e., actually including one—leads its American broadcaster, the N Channel, to ban the episode. A massive outcry from pubescent fans south of the border raises the franchise’s profile.

October 2005
Brent Butt’s cash-strapped Corner Gas station owner coins the term “staycation” when he forgoes foreign locales in favour of a prairie field. Gas prices soon skyrocket and the unlikely portmanteau sweeps backyards across North America.

January 2007
Little Mosque on the Prairie’s premiere pulls in a record-breaking two million viewers in Canada, thanks to hype from flabbergasted American media outlets (a comedy about racial tensions!). They clearly under­estimated our penchant for PC, multiculti gags.

April 2008
Actor Robb Wells (Trailer Park Boys’ Ricky) defends track pants, grow-ops and potty mouths to the CRTC. Despite colossal DVD sales, a hit movie and ubiquitous Bubbles T-shirts, haters include cable mogul Jim Shaw and bleep-happy BBC America, which stopped airing TPB after two seasons.

June 2008
The New Yorker’s Nancy Franklin is smitten with rookie steamfest MVP, comparing it to “such past treasures as Dynasty....I’m going to sit right down and send Canada a thank-you note.” Too late. The Ceeb had tired of the secret lives of hockey wives and iced it.

July 2008
Flashpoint becomes the first series since Due South to screen season one at home and in the U.S. Some nay­saying Americans credit the Hollywood writers’ strike for Flashpoint’s sky-high ratings. Unruffled Canadians rest easy in the knowledge that our SWAT team is bigger than their SWAT team.

Trailer Park Boys stand up at Massey Hall on Jan. 24, followed by Brent Butt on Jan. 30. $39.50–$49.50. 178 Victoria St., 416-872-4255, www.masseyhall.com.

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